Creeping traction unit



May 20, 1930. M. L. FYKSE 1,759,049

CREEPING TRACTION unn- Filed Sept. 7, 1926 2 Sheets$heet 1 MickeZZL. {711e,

IN VEN TOR.

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M. L. FYKSE CREEPING TRACTION UNIT Mal 20, 1930.

Filed Sept. 7. 1926 VIII/II //I/IIIIIIIIII//IIA 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fiiyla n hr"? INVEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

, Patented Ma an, 1930 UNITED STATES mm, L. msn, SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR '10 iBUUYB'US- ERIE COMPANY, 01' SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OI' DELA- TRACTION UNIT This invention provides an im roved form of the endless tread-belt links i lustrated in U. S. Patent No. 1,574,042, to Bager and Lehman, February 23, 1926.

means for the extrusion of dirt from the wheelgengaging surface of the tread-links, for strengthening the links, and for securing the pins which fasten the links together.

These advantages will be explained more at length hereinafter, as the description progresses. Other objects and advantages will be readily evident to anyone skilled in the art, and

Y therefore need not be herein more specifically set forth.

Theinvention consists in the novel parts and in the combinations and arrangements defined in the appended claims, and of which one embodiment is exemplified in the accompanying drawings, which are hereinafter particularly described and explained.

As no changes in tumblers or rollers are contemplated in the present application, they are not shown in the drawings.

Throughout, the same reference number is applied to the same or to similar members; and, for ease in comparison with the device of the said U. S. Patent No. 1,574,042, the

same reference numbers have been retainedfor corresponding parts, non-corresponding parts being herein numbered from up. The sections, in all cases, are as viewed in. the direction of the'arrow's.

Figure 1 is a plan of'the link, as seen from above. Figure 2 is a section, taken along the line 22 in Figure 1. I Figure 3 is a view, half in section and half in side'view, the former as indicated by the line 33 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section, taken along the line 44 in Figure 1. i Figure 5 is a view of the link, half in end view and half in section, the latter as indicated by the line 5-5 in Figure 1. Figure 6 is a view of one of the pivot pins 7 'which jo'in successive links together. 5 Its principal object is to provide novel Figure 7 is a plan view of the retaining Bin which holds in place the pin shown in igure 6.

Figure 8 is an end view of the retaining pin shown in Figure 7.

My improved creeping traction tread consists of similar links, one link being shown and indicated generally by the numeral 23.

This link is preferably made hollow in order to reduce its weight; and with an outer wall 24, constituting the tread, or ground-engaging portion, and a skeleton inner wall, 25. These walls are spaced apart by stiffening ribs or webs 24', which pro] ect inwardly from the outer wall 24 and merge into the skeleton inner wall .25. v

The skeleton inner wall 25 carries, lengthwise of the link, a pair of centrally disposed parallel upstanding flanges 26, spaced apart a distance corresponding to the width of the rims of the rollers and tumblers. The flanges 26, extending longitudinally of the several links of the tread belt, together define a centrally disposed wheel-receiving guideway or channel along the inner face of the tread belt. The flanges 26 have upwardly a slight flare outward from the channel, to ensure freedom of entrance into and exit from engagement of the wheels with the channel.

Each link extends somewhat beyond the ends of the channel formed by the flanges 26, so.

For the purpose of hingedly connecting adjacent links, each link is provided at one edge with a pair of pivot cars 27, spaced apart a distance substantially greater than that which separates the flanges 26. That portion of the edge which is between said cars is substantially straight, for purposes of strength and rigidity, and to permit a close fit with the adjoining edge of the adjacent link, thereby preventing the intrusion of earthy material between the links.- The opposite edge of the link is also substantially straight, except for appropriate recesses formed therein to receive snugly the pivot cars 27 of the adjacent link. Pivot pins 28 are passed through the inter-engaging parts thus formed. a

In the features discussed above, my link is substantially the same as that shown in the said patent to Bager and Lehman. In the said patent, the pivot pin 28 is retained in its operative position by a retaining pin (shown in said patent as number 29), which passes through a hole drilled in said pivot pin and through a cooperating hole in an adjacent web of the link. This construction restrains the pivot pin from rotating with respect to one of the two links it connects,

namely: that one which contains the adj acent web just mentioned.

It will be noticed that my link differs from the previous link principally in the following three items:

(1) I have entirely eliminated all the difliculties caused by the restraint from rotation, formerly imposed upon the pivot-pin by the retaining pin. My pivot pin 28 is not weakened by a hole drilled through it. My pivotpin is in no way restrained from rotation with respect to either of the links it connects; so that, if it becomes bound with respect to either one of the links, it may rotate freely with respect to the other. When my pivotpin is in position, its end inward of the link abuts against a web 49 and a retaining pin 40 is inserted into a cylindrical hole in the adjacent web 41, which web, it will be seen from the drawings, is thick enough to furnish a suflicient bearing surface to hold the retaining pin 40 securely. The retaining pin has its head 42 made with a rectangular cross section, so that a large flat surface is presented for abutment against the outer end of the pivot-pin 28, to retain the latter in place. That end of the retaining pin which has been 55 inserted into the cylindrical hole in the web 41 is provided with a drill hole 43, for the reception of a split pin (not shown), whose purpose is to hold the retaining pin in its place.

(2) My link further differs from the former link in that each flange 26 is provided with a hole 44 to permit the wheels to extrude dirt from the wheel-engaging channel 45, these flanges 26 being provided with a reea inforcement 46', to compensate for the weakening that would otherwise be caused by the presence of the hole 44.

(3) The third important improvement in my link over revious links is the use of the double web 4 48, which carries the stress caused by the tension of the tread belt very directly from each car 27 to the recess in which the corresponding ear of the next link fits, and thus eliminates unnecessary strain in those portions of the link which are out of the direct line from said ear to said recess.

It must be evident to anyone skilled in the art to which my invention pertains that I provide a link which is both novel and useul; which is simple and relatively cheap and easy to construct because of the skeleton inner wall; which, though relatively light for the same reason, is stronger than former links because of a better disposal of the stiffenin webs; and which will not become clogged with dirt. Also, that'I have provided a means of hingedly connecting such links into a belt, which means is simpler, stronger and more lasting than those used in former belts, thus ensuring less annoyance and waste of time and money in making repairs and replacements necessitated by breakages.

While I have shown and described but one form of my improved creeping traction tread, I wish it to be understood that I do not purpose to be limited to the particular construction shown, but rather that I reserve to myself the right to make any modifications or uchanges that are within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tread belt link for creeping traction mechanisms having: a broad ground-engaging surface on one side thereof; a narrow wheel-receiving channel, centrally disposed, on the other side thereof; and upstanding wheel-guiding flan es, containing openings for the extrusion 0% dirt from the wheel-receiving channel by the action of the wheels.

2. A tread belt link for creeping traction mechanisms having: a broad ground-engaging surface on one side thereof: a narrow wheel-receiving channel, centrally disposed,

on the other side thereof; and upstanding wheel-guiding flanges, containing openings for the extrusion of dirt from the wheelreceiving channel by the action of the wheels, said flanges being each thickened along its upper edge, to compensate for said openings.

3. A tread-belt for creeping traction mechanisms, having: a broad ground-engaging surface on one side thereof; a narrow wheelreceiving channel, centrally disposed, on the other side thereof; and two rows of upstanding wheel-guiding flanges, containing openings for the extrusion of dirt from the wheelreceiving channel by the action of the wheels.

4. A tread belt for a creeping traction mechanism, comprising: a series of connected links, having a broad ground-engaging surture.

MITCHELL L. FYKSE. 

